Cake-splitting machine



J. R. LITTY CAKE SPLITTING MACHINE Apn'l 1o, 1928. y w 1,865,888

Filed Sept. 2l. 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 April l0, 1928. 1,665,888

J. R. LITTY CAKE SPLITTING MACHINE Filed sent. 21. 1925 5 sheets-sheet 2 l' 1:/ Q gf L/ N n if i .n L i5 N A2 I l j M Wz'zedded/f [riz/enf@ April l0, 1928.

J.R. LITTY CAKE SPLITTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 21, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 April 1o, 192s. 1,665,888'

J. R. LITTY CAKE SPLITTING MACHINE Filed 56131;. 2l. 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 /Tg.

Patented Apr.l 10,- 1.928.`

JOHN R. LITTY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAKE-srtrrrme MAcHrNE.

f: Application ledSeptember 21,1925. Serial No. 57,520.

My invention relatesv to cake-splitting mav chines, and is especially designed for use in making layer-cake- One method of making) layer cake is to bake as many cakes as there arer to be layers. The chief objection to\this plan is that the amount of time necessary for making and the space requiredefor baking the cake is duplicated for eachlayer, which makes a layer cake costly. Splitting cakes of the thickness oftwo layers, so far as I am aware, has heretofore proved unsatisfactory.

The, object of my invention is to provide a machine with-which cakes may be quickly 415 and evenly split without danger of lbreakage, which may be adjusted for splitting cakes of different thicknesses, andY in which the splitting knife will be` automatically cleansed after each cut.

This object, and other advantageous ends whichA will be rdescribed hereinafter, 1 attain in the following manner, reference being had o v to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a plan 'view of a cake-splitting '25 machine constructed in accordance withmy invention,

Figure 2, a] front view ,of the machine shown .in Figure 1, some partsv being broken Wayv' w .I

Figure 3, a section on l1ne 3-3 of Figure 1 A Figure d, a section on 'lineI -f of Figure 3, 1

Figure 5, a perspective viewv of elements forming a part of my invention, y

Figures 6 andw?, fragmentary` plan and edge views of a band knifeused in the machine shown in Figure 1,

Figures 8 and 9, enlarged fragmentary 4o end and front views of a cake retaining roll forming a part of my invention,

tFigures 10 and 11, fragmentary enlarged plan and rear views of guiding means ffor the band knife, v i

Figures 12 and 13, fragmenta plan and rear views of the kni unit, and

y Flgure 14.-, an enlarged section yon line 14-14 of Figure 1.

5o Briefly the machine consists of a suitenlarged e cleaning able frame; a band knife; mechanism for` a cake-'receiving moving the band knife;

knife; a reciprochannel leading to the band eating cake-pushing membervmovably con- 4 nected within the channel `for moving the cake against-the knife; a lever for movingy the cake-pushing member; a roller disposed above the band knife for holding the cake against lupward movement to prevent its being split unevenly; an labutment carried Vby the cake-pushing member for holding the cake against sidewise movement during the splitting action and thus prevent it being broken, and a knife scraping unit for cleaning the knife. L;

Referring to the drawings, '1 indicates a frame,'2 a motor mounted thereon, 3 a reduction -unit operativelyd connected to the motor and having a drive shaft trotatable in bearings on the iframe.` one@ end of the drive shaft meshes with a worm wheel 6 on one end of a transversey shaft 7 which has a crank 8 on itsl other end connected by a link 9 with a lever 10 having its lower end pivoted to the frame at 11'. 75 The upper end 12 of the lever is 'honnected by a pin and slot connection with a cake pushing member in the form offa block- 13. rlfhe-block is slidably reciprocated by lever 10 within a cake reoeivin channel 14. This 80 channel is formed by aase. plate 15 supported by'aJ pair oftframe brackets 16, and a i air of guides' 17 secured to the plate b clts 18. lPlate 15 has a slot 11'9' throug which lever 10 extends tov allowswinging 85 movement thereof. Block 13 is movably connected at its opposite sides with guides 17 by rollers. 18, fitting within a slot 2O in each guide,l rllhe forward end of the block has a groove 21 to allow the block to split layers of cake past the band kni without engaging it.

To prevent the cake from workin its way'L upwardly and thereby causing the ayers'tto be split unevenly, a roll 28 is disposed above 95 the cutting edge of the band knife for holding the, cake againstl upward movement. The-roll is mounted to permit a limited freedom of vertical movement to insure its riding over the cake, and its support is adjust- 100 able vertically so that it may be normall ositioned at different heights .to allow di erent thicknesses of cake to pass thereunder. This mounting for the roll preferably consists of a pin 24, on Awhich the stud shafts 105 25 ofthe roll rest and which may be placed in either of a `vertically disposed series of fholles 26 in a U-sh'aped bracket 27 secured to The band knife 22 is mountedon a pulle `lx0 28 on the end of drive 'shaft4 and on a puly-l ley 29 on theend of a parallel idle'shaft 30 A worm 5 near 7o y ush oo rotatably mounted'in bearings on the frame. As the cake is forced against the band knife, it tends to shift the knife off the pulleys. To prevent this, I provide, at opposite sides 0f the cake cutting portion of the knife, a pair of rollers 31 engaging the dull edge of the knife. A knife guide 32 is provided to prevent the band from vibrating.

A pair .of knife scraping blades 33, disposed at opposite sides of the knife, are.

mounted on a bracket 34 secured to the base plate. These blades remove the crumbs which adhere to the knife as it cuts the cake.

The cake is prevented from being shifted sidewise by the friction between the knife and the cake, and possibly broken, by abutments 35 on block 13 against which the cake abuts. f

To adjust the-machine for splitting cakes of different thicknesses, I provide a plurality of plates 36 which may be inserted between base plate 15 and guides 17 by un- Screwing securing bolts 18 and slipping plates 36 under the guides so that the plates will abut each other asshown at 37 and will coincide with the -slot- 19 of base plate 15. These plates tprovide an elevated face on which the cake is moved toward the knife, and the proper number of these plates will elevate the cake to such height that the knife will split it in the center. Roll 23 is then adjusted so that 'itwill engage the cake and hold it against upward movement.

The operation is as follows:

Assuming that the band knife is .moving in the direction of the arrows, a cake is placed between a guide 17 and abutments 35. The block, being moved toward the knife, will slidel the cake on plates 36 against a swiftly moving knife 22 which will split it centrally. During the splitting action, roll 23 keeps that part of the cake which is being split, from working upward and causing the cake to be split unevenly. Abutments 35 prevent the cake from being shifted sidewise as it is pulled in the direction of the moving knife by frietion between it and the cake. Groove '21 allows block 13 to move the split cake past the knife without engagement between the block and the knife. The split cake is then removed from the machine and the block returned'to its former position.

The machine works rapidly and efficiently and splits the cakes evenly with practically no breakage.

While I have described my invention as taking a particular form, it will be understood that the various parts may be changed without departing from the spirit thereof, and hence I do not limit myself to the preoise construction set forth, but consider that I amat liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new `and desire to secure by Letters Patent is y 1. In a cake-splitting machine, a horizontal bed. a band knife disposed parallel thereto, mechanism for moving said knife, a follower for moving the cake through the path knife to hold the cake against upward move- ,ment during the splitting action.

3. In a cake-splitting machine, a supporting bed havinga channel, aband knife extending across the channel, mechanism for moving the same. a bl-ock mounted in the channel for moving the cake through the path of the knife, means for moving the block, and means for holding the cake against lateral and upward movement during the splitting action.-

4. In a cake-splitting machine, a supporting bed 'having a channel, a knife extending across the channel, mechanism for moving same. a block movable in the channel'for moving the cake through the path of the knife, a lever connected with the block, and

mechanism for swinging the lever.

5. In ay cake-splitting machine, a supporting bed havinga channel, a knife extending across the channel, mechanism for moving the same, a block movable in the channel for moving the cake through the path of the knife, a lever connected with the block, a

crank operatively connected for swinging the lever, and means for rotating the crank.

6. In a cake-splitting machine, a supporting bed having a channel, a knife extending across thei` channel, mechanism for moving the same, a blockmovable in the channel, means for moving the block, and means mounted above the knife for holding the cake against upward movement during the splitting action. i

7. lIn a cake-splitting` machine, asupportingbed having a channel, a knife extending across the channel, mechanism for movmg the same, a block movable in the channel,

.means for moving the block, means mounted above the knife to hold the cake against upward movement during the splitting action, and means for adjusting` the position of said means vertically.. l

8. In a ,cake-splitting machine, a support- Lacasse lthe same, a block movable in the channel,

means for moving-the block, means mounted above the knife for holding the cake against upward movement during the splitting action, said'mea-ns being free to move upwardly.

9. ln a cake splitting machine having a bed and a band knife movably mounted parallel to the bed; a bracket mounted on the bed and having ianges extending at an angle from each side of the knife, and a pair of blades slidably adjustable on the flanges of the bracket and engaging each side of the knife for scraping Vcrumbs therefrom.

10. ln a splitting machine having a band knife movably mounted thereon. a bracket on the machine, and a roller on the bracket; the bracket and roller being so positionee that the back of the knife may move diagonally across the face of the roller whereby the knife will rotate the roller and the roller will hold the knife in cutting position.

1l. In a cake splitting machine having a bed and a band knife movably mounted parallel to the bed; a bracket on the bed, a pair of elongated members adjustably mounted on the bracket at either side ofthe knife,

and a plurality of bearing surfaces on each member adapted to engage the knife and prevent same from vibrating; one of the bearing surfaces ybeing opposite the point` where the member is attached to the bracket and another bearing surface being spaced therefrom.

l2.' In a' cake splitting machine, a horizontal bed, a band knife disposed parallel thereto and adapted to move transversely thereof, mechanism for moving said knife, means movable longitudinally of 'said bed for moving a cake through the path of the knife, means for moving said cake-moving means, and meansl for holding the cake against lateral movement during the splitting o eration.

` 13. n a cake splitting machine, a horizontal bed, .a band knife'disposed parallel thereto and adapted to move transversely thereof, mechanism for moving said knife, means movable longitudinally of said bed for moving a cake through the path of the knife, means for moving said cake-moving means,

a guide/for holding the cake against lateral movement during the splitting operation, and means mounted above the lmife for holding the cake against upward movement vduring the s litting operation.

lin testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

' JOHN R. LITTY. 

